Psychological support in times of crisis

Climate change, wars, political instability, aggressive provocations – real-life crises present us with enormous challenges, the impacts of which are felt by every one of us. We have to constantly grapple with them, eliciting more questions that result in even more uncertainty. We start imagining scenarios that cause us to worry. But when these worries gain the upper hand and we can no longer keep our anxiety at bay, worrying becomes the problem – not the solution.

The psychological counsellors at the Student Advice and Counselling Centre (ZSB) have compiled the following tips to help you deal with these fears:

  1. Reality check
    Take a step back from these apocalyptic visions and ask yourself: Do my worries realistically reflect the given facts? Or am I imagining worst-case scenarios?
  2. Hop off the doom carousel
    Don’t allow your worries to spiral endlessly. Set yourself a fixed time every day to contemplate and work through your worries. Afterwards, try doing something positive.
  3. Control your media consumption
    Limit the time you spend watching the news to an appropriate level and concentrate on reliable sources. If necessary, set a timer to remind you when you’ve had enough.
  4. Routine, routine, routine…
    Maintain your daily routine. Getting up, cooking, eating and doing sports help add structure to your day.
  5. Mental balance in times of crisis
    Reflect on what you’ve experienced at the end of the day and jot down three nice things that happened to you as a counterweight to the negative aspects.
  6. Asserting control in times of perceived helplessness
    In normal life, it often seems impossible to do anything against the enormous crises plaguing our world and environment. We feel insignificant and helpless. But you don’t have to resign yourself to helplessness. Think of ways you can get actively involved so that you can feel “useful” again.
  7. Social connection from a distance
    Being close to other people is a good remedy in crises of all kinds. Make sure you have sufficient social contact, and remember, the contact should be beneficial to you!
  8. Don’t hesitate to get professional help
    If none of the above provide you with relief, do not hesitate to seek professional help.